I definitely need to get myself a new cape

It's snowing. Again. I'm supposed to go to Iowa City to start a job (just a temporary thing for just over a week), but I'm not sure if I should try the roads or not. I already had to help my brother get his car out of the driveway, so we'll see. . . Although, I am looking forward to being in the IC again for a little while, I can go get my falafel on and stop by the Java House. Should be good times!

Today's music suggestion is MGMT!! (I think it's pronounced "management," but then again, when talking about them on XM Radio, one of the DJ's said that it wasn't an abbreviation for anything. So who knows!)



I saw that performance when it first aired, was really into it, then started noticing them more and more on XM. They're awesome. They've kind of got a "retro" feel to them, while still putting out their own style. The version of "Time to Pretend" they played on Letterman is different from the studio version in instrumentation - live it was more guitar-driven, the synth is more prevalent in the recorded version. Both are great, though. There's a video for the song, but for some reason, they turned off embedding for it, so I'll put the link to it here. Be sure to check out all of their songs on their myspace page, and if you like, go buy the album!

Like I said, I'll be working the next few days, but I'm going to do my darndest to get posts up in a timely manner, especially tomorrow. It's a special day around these parts!

Just imagine the "Chariots of Fire" theme while reading this

I think these new shoes are going to work out. I've just been walking around in them to make sure I like the feel, but from now on they will be exclusively used for running. And in the past, that meant that I would wear them twice a year and forget about them, but since I actually spent the money on them this time, I feel obligated to used them more often. On days like today, it's hard not staying outside. It's absolutely perfect. Which works out well for me, I don't have to work until 5, so I've had most of the day to do whatever I'd like. This has involved getting some sushi for lunch, doing some laundry, walking downtown to the Java House, and very soon, going for a jog. I was planning on jogging this morning, but while I was sleeping, I got a massive cramp in my left calf, to which I woke up, screaming in pain. I think I was saying something like "damn this hurts," or maybe something with more swears. Then this morning it was still hurting when I tried to walk, so I decided to take it easy for a little while. It figures that I'd hurt myself while sleeping.

Anyways, the weather is too nice to not go for a run right now. I've got my headband on and everything, I mean business. I've got 2 weeks to break these shoes in and get in shape myself to run 7 miles.

Shit.

UPDATE!!!

Just got back from the run. The shoes and socks combine well to keep my feet very dry and well-ventilated. The sushi and cookie combine to keep my lungs not-well-ventilated. All in all I think I did about 2.5 miles in about 30-minutes. I need to step it up a little, but feel alright. I only slightly feel like puking!

Rain, I don't mind

It's been raining most of the day here in the IC, and I love it. I hope it keeps raining until I go to bed, there's nothing better to fall asleep to than a good shower outside. A soft rumble of thunder can be nice, too, as long as it doesn't become too loud and violent. And I'd rather be up watching the lightning, so I'd prefer that to wait until a time I can more thoroughly enjoy. A nice, steady rain, however, is perfect. It looks like that is what we'll be getting for the next few days here, too. Which is fine by me. I like a beautiful spring day as much as the next guy, but I truly appreciate the rainfall even more.

Right now I'm trying to decide what the ideal rainy day would be for me. It would have to be warm enough to sit outside for a while without requiring a heavy coat, or shoes. A nice porch to sit on would be a must. I'd need a book of crossword puzzles, a newspaper, and a reading book that's not too upbeat, but not real gloomy, either. (that could be a totally new post, the perfect book for a drizzle.) Should the fancy strike, I'd like to be able to run around in the rain, maybe play some sort of game, or just go for a walk to Oasis or the Java House. Falafel seems like it would be a good lunch, but a good ol' sandwich would be just fine, with some iced tea to wash it down. Lemonade would work, too, but I'd prefer the tea.

Heck, I could manage with just being under a tarp, sitting out in the woods, enjoying nature in the rain. There's something about immediate, extremely basic shelter that I enjoy very much, like just having a sheet of plastic wrapped around me, so I could still feel the rain at the same time as having protection. Not so much like a raincoat, something a little more structured, if that makes sense. One of the best times that I've ever had in the rain was when I was younger, and just sat right inside the door of a shed on our property, just watching the downpour. I felt secure and sheltered, while I still felt a part of the storm. I like that. It's not a feeling that I've had too often. Maybe I'll try to rediscover it soon. (this has been another installment of wistful Chris!)